


Figure Eights

by Mistress_Ashley



Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, NCIS
Genre: Challenge Response, Christmas, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-01-26
Updated: 2012-01-26
Packaged: 2017-10-30 04:13:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 593
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/327603
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mistress_Ashley/pseuds/Mistress_Ashley
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Part of the 2010 Christmas gifts I wrote for my readers.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Figure Eights

**Author's Note:**

> Anonymous reviewer asked for Buffy/Gibbs, familial or romantic. I left it open to interpretation. Are they dating or aren't they? That's up to you. :)

Buffy smiled softly, gaze taking in the Scoobies scattered around the tree. It was a huge monstrosity set into the corner of the old castle that the New Council had taken over. It was larger than any tree Buffy had ever had but it wasn't the tree that had the young woman smiling. The smile was for Xander who was digging under the tree. It was for Willow who was snuggled contentedly into Kennedy's side. It was for Dawn, her baby sister who was looking more grown up every time she saw her, curled up in a comfy armchair with a glass of eggnog, and it was for Giles who, like her, was watching the room with a smile twitching his lips up.

Still, there was a small hint of sadness and hurt that was bubbling up in her. He wasn't here. She knew and understood why he couldn't be here. The world didn't stop just because it was Christmas but that thought didn't lessen the hurt any.

"Hey, Buff? You expecting anything from someone?" Xander called from his place under the tree as he shook a large package between his hands.

Buffy frowned before she answered, "No." At least, she didn't think so. Her eyes slid to each Scooby in turn but none had even a hint of guilt or contained excitement. There was no way he could have gotten the package here on his own. Suspicion roused from deep within her as she took the package from Xander. It wasn't heavy to her Slayer strength but might have been a nuisance to any other girl of her size.

Her fingers worked the bow loose, tugging the festively wrapped lid off the box. A gasp escaped her as she moved the tissue paper to the side. Nestled in clouds of paper was a pair of figure skates. They weren't beautiful by any means-fairly simple if she was honest but they were beautiful to her. She lifted them gently from the paper, noticing the safety caps over the blades before her attention was drawn to the envelope that had been under them.

_Sorry I couldn't be there. Hope this makes up for it._

The note was just a ripped piece of paper that had been hastily written and shoved into the envelope. It wasn't even signed, but Buffy didn't need a signature to know who it was from. Still, it wasn't like him to think that a pair of skates would make up for missing a family get together.

Buffy sighed sadly, pushing the note back into the envelope with care. Frowning when the note didn't slide in smoothly. Her fingers slipped into the tissue paper finding glossy bits of hard paper. Her eyes widened as she took in her find. Tickets, two insignificant bits of paper that meant the world to her. It was a show in New York, Central Park at that, that was set just days after Christmas. It would have some of the best figure skaters in the world skating with civilians—anyone who had the money to buy the tickets.

She felt her eyes tear up as her fingers traced over the tickets and then the skates. It wasn't the show or the money that was sure to have gone into buying the tickets that made all the difference.

It was an agreement to take her. It was an agreement to making an ass out himself all for her because Leroy Jethro Gibbs didn't know how to skate. Buffy laughed through the tears as the hurt disappeared.

**Fin**


End file.
